SAY YES TO THE DRESSER

Joni Foerter- Owner Front Porch Furniture Rescue

While dressers typically live in our bedrooms today, this wasn’t always the case. Originally, the purpose of a dresser was to “dress” a meal in a more traditional, formal home. They were often found in either the kitchen or the dining room, allowing cooks and helpers to get the things they needed and work efficiently. As they spread in popularity across Europe, homes of the wealthy used dressers in their grand foyers to display valuable gold and silver decor as a status symbol. Today, dressers are more functional pieces of furniture that serve specific purposes in the home. Even as their use has evolved, the main elements of their design have remained the same for nearly 300 years. Sturdy and practical, dressers are timeless pieces of furniture that will never go out of style.

Choosing a Dresser

When shopping for a dresser, it is important to consider the size of your bedroom or room, how much wall space you have, the ceiling height, and the amount of belongings or what you will be storing. A standard vertical or horizontal dresser is probably suitable for most households. However, if you’re looking for additional hanging storage beyond the closet, an armoire or gentleman’s chest is definitely worth purchasing. For smaller spaces, focus on a dresser that can perform multiple functions.

Not sure what style of vintage dresser you’re after? Here are several popular styles to consider.

The French Dresser

A vintage French dresser is always a yes! The less formal French Provincial style is crafted from oak or walnut and features scalloped aprons and cabriole legs. The more Neoclassical style will have simple, rectangular construction, tapered legs, round brass drawer pulls, and possibly a marble top.

The Federal Dresser

With their sleek curvature and dark wood, Federal dressers can easily mix with today’s more modern and contemporary pieces. Federal dressers are usually crafted of dark wood. Lustrous, high-gloss mahogany is most common, with some specialized pieces showcasing ornate flame mahogany. The most defining feature is their iconic bow-fronted design (which can be a single or double bow) and their brass oval drop handles.

The Chippendale Dresser

This one is more traditional in style and doesn’t quite play as well with contemporary design. Like Federal dressers, Chippendale’s are typically crafted of dark wood (think mahogany or cherry). However, they tend to be more ornate and feature more classical design elements like ball-and-claw feet, elaborate flame-edge hardware, and pediments and finials on taller pieces. Chinese Chippendale style often integrates bamboo detailing.

Mid-Century and Modern Dressers

Mid-century dressers are simple, functional, and durable wood pieces characterized by their bold and daring aesthetic. Design elements include clean lines, organic forms (boomerang and amoeba shapes), pencil legs, sculpted handles, and geometric moldings. Most are made from teak, rosewood, or oak.

Modern dressers, by contrast, typically have a more understated, utilitarian, or industrial look. These sleek rectangular boxes are pared down to the essentials and have little to no adornment. Crafted from teak or rosewood, the legs tend to be square. Many include recessed or sculpted wood handles and low-profile metal hardware.

Hollywood Regency Dressers

Are less about the style and more about the color and glamour it brings to a room. Global design influences are crossed with vibrant colors and luxurious finishes. Take a faux bamboo, Chinoiserie, or French Provincial piece and glam it up with metallic or high-gloss paint, and it’s Hollywood Regency-ready.